A joint venture led by Samsung C&T Corporation has won a US$340m (£257m) civils contract to improve ground beneath the sea bed in advance of land reclamation work for Hong Kong’s third runway.

Samsung C&T has a 70% stake in the joint venture with Hong Kong contractor Build King.

The project, which was awarded by Airport Authority Hong Kong, is the first stage for developing the Three Runway System (3RS) at Hong Kong International Airport.

Work involves using a deep cement mixing method to improve soft ground located approximately 7m below the sea before land reclamation for the third runway takes place.

Construction work will begin this month and is expected to take 20 months to complete.

“Even though challenging, we are certain that by working closely together with our trusted partners and maintaining a strong emphasis on safety and quality, this project will have outstanding results,” said Hans Whang, the head of Samsung C&T’s Civil Infrastructure Business Unit.